Beginnings
by AccioJosh
Summary: Harry Potter and Zacharias Smith have always had trouble getting along, but when they realize there may be more to them than they thought, it gets even harder. (Slash)
1. Summer

**Rating:** R (Eventual)  
**Character(s):** Zacharias Smith, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, Ernie Macmillan, and some soon to be announced!  
**Genre:** Romance, General, Angst, Drama  
**Warnings:** Strong language, Contains slash (same sex pairing), Contains spoilers (OotP), Scenes of a strong sexual nature (eventually)  
**Summary:** Zacharias Smith is a complicated person, or at least he thinks so. He and his best friend Hannah have secret crushes, and both of them spend an awful lot of time talking about them! Then, on impulse, Zacharias makes a move and finds himself surprisingly welcome…  
_This story is not yet completed._

**_Currently Untitled_**

_Chapter One_

Lancaster Road was a quiet, respectable road. It wound its way harmlessly between Wiltshire Abbey and Turnkey Glen, which was just what quiet little roads did. Along its gradual curve lay several houses, most of which were very calmly decorated with nice, acceptable cars parked in the drives and a dog or cat playing happily in the yard. Everyone on Lancaster Road appreciated the silent honor of living in such a normal, happy neighborhood… with one exception.

Number seventeen had been a respectable home several years ago when it was owned by the Nicksons, a small family that had moved to Windim Hill after they tragically lost their son to a car accident. Mr. Nickson had been an Underground operator while Mrs. Nickson taught first-years at a local academy. They had thrown a neighborhood get-together every month, usually themed and quite popular. They were sorely missed.

The family who had moved into the Nickson home had apparently come from further out in the country, with rumors they'd lived in the States for some time and been corrupted by American ideals. Hyacinth Beechcroft had been told by Esther Gladwell that the wife was a professor at university, which gave everyone a sensible impression to contradict the rumors.

When the family had finally arrived, the moving truck taking up far too much of Lancaster Road for Number Fifteen's liking, many of the neighborhood wives had gathered together to bring over a bunt in welcome. Hyacinth thought it only appropriate.

The first sighting of the Smith family was awkward as none of them had been expecting a woman in her mid-thirties wearing a long, flowery skirt that was practically see-through with a halter-top so sheer that Esther nearly fainted as the woman wasn't wearing any undergarments. Mrs. Smith's hair was a knotty mess and was easily the worst hair anyone on Lancaster Road had ever seen.

Needless to say, most of the neighbors tended to smile and nod if they saw the Smiths, but they were hardly likely to say 'hullo' unless prompted. Even when, five years ago, the elder Smiths had begun wearing nineteenth-century clothes most of the neighbors politely ignored it. Esther Gladwell had simply said, "At least you can't see through them."

It wasn't until this latest travesty that the Smiths gave cause for a near up-rising in the neighborhood circles; they had put up a rainbow flag to flaunt homosexual agendas. It was enough to have an emergency meeting of the Ladies' Social Club to set to a petition to have it taken down immediately.

Had the neighbors known that inside number seventeen the youngest of the Smiths, Zacharias, a sensible and studious boy of sixteen, firmly agreed with them, they might have been spurned to an even more aggressive campaign.

"Mum! It's outrageous!"

"Why dear? I want everyone to know that I'm proud of my gay son!" She beamed at him, making hand gestures while glancing at images in a book called _Stroke Your Aura: The Guide to Inner Peace_.

"Maybe I don't want everyone knowing I'm gay!"

"Why wouldn't you?" She was now making gestures that seemed inappropriate and Zacharias looked away, embarrassed. "You _should_ be proud! Women had to fight just to have the right to vote and you are growing up in an age where you can be yourself! Be happy you aren't living in the forties! They'd have just put you in a ward and been done with you!" She may have been lecturing, but even still she came off as a bit wispy.

The curly blond boy rolled his eyes and threw his arms up in despair. It was _never_ any use talking to her about these things once her mind was made up. He wandered into the living room, his khaki pants, neatly pressed and starched, making noises as he moved and his sensible powder blue button-up hugging his thin body. His father, who wore a pair of jeans and a faded nineteenth-century tunic open to his navel, looked up at his son from the latest edition of _Animal Action_ and gave him a stern look. "Don't even start," he said, closing the magazine. "You know she's impossible once she gets a cause started."

"But dad! _I'm_ the gay one here! And I don't _want_ rainbow flags on our front step!"

"Zach, there's just no point—"

"_Zacharias_," he hissed, tired of repeating himself. His father just gave him a look and returned to his magazine, the matter closed. Frustrated, Zacharias stomped up the stairs in a most immature way and slammed the door to his room.

Unlike the rest of the house, his room was by far the starkest and almost stripped of all personality. The most interesting thing in it was a poster hanging above the very properly made bed, hospital corners and all, of the Wimbourne Wasps, a much respected local Quidditch team that Zacharias rooted for. The poster featured the team playing a fierce game against Pride of Portree, whose deep purple robes made quite the combinations with the Wasps's black and yellows. The players were rushing around the field and as he came in, a particularly nasty blow to Pride's seeker sent the man tumbling to the ground, unnoticed by the room's occupant.

The rest of the room was mostly bare wall, a few trophies from his under-11s football team and a ribbon for a maths competition just before he left for Hogwarts. The desk was very neatly organized with pens, pencils and quills all properly stored in the drawer, paper and parchment in another, a neat stack of books atop the overhead shelf along with some other necessary school supplies. His familiar, Archimedes, was the rather prim-looking grey, black and silver tabby currently licking his paws on the bed. In greeting, the cat looked up at Zacharias expecting to be pat. When his friend did finally, Archimedes began to purr instantly and made it known he preferred his ears be scratched before he returned to his grooming.

"They're mad," Zacharias told Archimedes bitterly. "Always thinking it's alright to run off and do as they please with no mind for society." He shook his blond head, closing his eyes in despair. It had been this way since he was a child, and he remembered nearly losing his seat at Eton before getting his Hogwarts letter. The idea of not attending Hogwarts had been a huge controversy in the Smith household.

_"Flower you're a _wizard_! It's an amazing adventure! You can't simply brush it aside and go to __Eton__!" His mother had been telling him for days how lucky he was to be able to go to a wizarding school, but all Zacharias, as he'd recently decided his name should be, wanted was to go to Eton with his friends and become a sensible mathematician like his mate Michael._

_He stood his ground, arms folded and a sour look on his face. "I don't want to go. I'm going to be a mathematician," he said grumpily. His mum was holding the invitation letter and looking at it as if it could give her a better argument._

_"But flower, you've got a gift; you shouldn't squander it."_

After nearly a month fighting about it, the time came for him to board the train and, unluckily his parents had rushed off to Diagon Alley to purchase all his supplies, including Archimedes. Only this amazing cat, whom had secretly turned Zacharias's mind just a bit toward going to Hogwarts as Eton didn't allow pets, was the reason he allowed them to rush him off to King's Cross before he could say 'No' again.

That was also when they had started wearing nineteenth-century clothing, much to his despair.

_"It's just brilliant! They all wear such beautiful clothes! You don't see dresses like these anymore," his mother had said, turning in her new green dress and billowing out the skirt in emphasis._

_His father was now wearing a rather putrid looking purple number with frills and a rather nasty looking tie. "I love it," he'd announced, making Zacharias wonder if he had a nick of fashion sense in his head._

"Zach!" He groaned at the use of this childish nickname, rising to open the door. "Flower there's someone here to see you!"

Flushed with embarrassment that anyone visiting would hear his mother call him 'flower', far worse than 'Zach' any day, he ran down the stairs to find Hannah Abbot, his dearest friend from Hogwarts, and Ernie Macmillan, a stout young man with dark hair and a confident look. Hannah gave him an understanding look whilst Ernie had an amused grin on his face, mouthing 'flower' and making it clear Zacharias would never hear the end of it.

"Zacharias, you won't believe how many O.W.L.S. I've gotten!" Hannah was holding her Hogwarts letter in her hand, nearly bouncing on her toes and her blond hair in the ever-present pigtails that she refused to let go even after all this time. Her face was pinker than usual, the effort of not squealing with glee enough to make her flush.

"Well, let's go upstairs and see, then," he said, motioning for the two of them to follow him, preferably quickly. His mother made an anxious gesture, indicating he shouldn't rush them right away, but he ignored her and hoped she wouldn't bug them.

The first time he'd had Hannah over, his mother had sat her down and quizzed her about her use of shaving products and how young ladies should know they have a choice whether to succumb to social pressures in regards to the matter. Zacharias had felt completely embarrassed and had nearly died in embarrassment. Ernie hadn't ever been around to his home before, so he was hoping to keep his parents away from the lad.

Just as they were halfway up the stairs, his father poked his head in at the bottom and said, "Zachy? Do you and your mates want some biscuits?" He froze, mortified, and turned around to give his father death eyes for the horrid use of disgustingly sick names. When his father saw his face, he simply raised his eyebrows. "Crisps, then?"

"No, we're fine," he finally spit out through clenched teeth, avoiding Ernie's face for fear of what he'd see. His father simply shrugged, a defeated look on his face, and disappeared back to whatever it was his father did on weekends. Rushing up to his room, he waited impatiently until Hannah and Ernie were securely in and shut the door firmly, locking it for good measure.

Hannah was already on his bed, laid out in a very relaxed manner and petting Archimedes whilst the cat purred and rubbed against her hand, urging her to pay special attention to his ever-itchy ears. "Hallo," she said softly, leaning down to leave a kiss on his head.

"Nice room, mate," Ernie said with only a slight hint of skepticism. "Personality much?" He was looking around at everything when he came across of a photo of Zacharias and his parents at a hippie gathering they'd forced him to attend when he was eight. In the picture, 'Flower', as they'd called him from then on, was wearing a crown of huge daffodils that dwarfed his young head. He had an especially large grin on his face and his mum was wearing a matching crown whilst his father merely had one pinned to his jean vest. Ernie was looking close and starting to laugh as Zacharias quickly snatched it away and hid it in a drawer, cursing himself for leaving it out. "Nice photo mate! Now I know why they call you _Flower_. And you were _smiling_!" He laughed heartily, then stopped and gave a mock serious look. "Do you suppose they knew even then?"

"Oh shut up, Ern," Hannah said from the bed. "Not like I haven't seen you checking out Justin's arse," she added for good measure. Ernie went bright red and gave her a death glare. She batted her eyes tauntingly and then grinned. "O.W.L.S.!" She grabbed up her letter from where she'd dropped it and patted the bed for the two of them to join her. When Ernie made to sit on the opposite side of her from Zacharias, she quickly sat up and pushed them closer.

"Hannah!" they both exclaimed at once.

"Just because we're the only two gay blokes you know doesn't mean we're going to shack up!" Ernie looked mortified at the idea of doing anything remotely sexual with Zacharias, then hit her playfully on the arm.

"I will succeed," she said knowingly. "If you two darlings don't have boyfriends by the Halloween Feast, I'll _make_ you go out."

"You can't _make_ us," Zacharias said, disgusted with the idea himself.

"Well, there aren't even other gay blokes at Hogwarts, so I don't know why you don't just give in." Her tone was all-knowing, but both the boys laughed at her. She took on a hurt expression and pouted.

"Do you really believe that? Come on, Hannah, even you're not _that_ off!" Ernie shook his head and then leaned it on her shoulder when she refused to stop pouting. "Oh come on, pet! I heard once that some muggle sighcotrist said that one in ten muggles are gay, so I bet five in ten wizards are!"

"That's preposterous," Zacharias countered, looking skeptical. "Wizards may be more open-minded, but that doesn't mean more of them are gay."

"Look at that git Malfoy; if he's not gay my Aunt's a kneazle."

"You're Aunt may just be," Hannah said playfully. "Remember how she fell and landed on all fours? Crazy!" She and Ernie shared a laugh, but Zacharias was only reminded of how much lesser a time he'd known the two of them, who'd been friends since first year.

For the first couple of years, he'd avoided his classmates with the exception of Justin, whom he'd known had almost gone to Eton as well. Justin was a bit odd, to say the least, and Zacharias had been sure Justin was gay until he'd come across the lad's stash of porn magazines that he'd nicked from his older brother. It had been awkward telling Justin that no, he wasn't interested in looking because it wasn't his style of magazine. Justin had been cool about it, though, and insisted on introducing him to Ernie, who it turned out was also gay. And so the Quest To Pair Up the Homos began, taken on by Hannah, Justin and Susan, the group of friends that adopted Zacharias with Justin's help. Aside from her constant attempts at getting him to shag Ernie, he and Hannah had got on quickly as the next best thing to a relationship.

Now, to his utter despair, they were all the best of friends and he couldn't imagine life without them. It didn't stop him from hating their guts when they made fun of him for having googly eyes at Harry Potter.

"So?" Hannah said, her voice filled with exasperation. "Are you going to keep me waiting forever?"

"Alright," Zacharias said, rolling his eyes and hiding a smile. "Here."

She handed him hers and they both opened them at the same time, going over the list.

"_Potions_?" Hannah exclaimed. "You're going to continue with that sod Snape?"

"He's not that bad," he defended, getting a snort from Ernie.

"'Not that bad'," Ernie said condescendingly. "If he got any more anti-social he'd win a prize. My mum says he was just as bad in school. Hasn't changed a bit, that one."

"Your mum knew him in school? Eurgh! I can't imagine going to school with him," Hannah said with a look like someone having just accidentally swallowed a gallon of pure lemon juice. "Well, at least _I_ don't have him for N.E.W.T. classes. I'm done with Potions for good."

"You didn't even get an O.W.L.?"

"Oh I did, but I told Professor Sprout that I wasn't interested in continuing." She looked smug, like she'd always known she'd get the O.W.L., and Ernie threw Zacharias's pillow at her. "Hey!"

"You did no such thing!"

"I did," she insisted, holding in a laugh. "Professor Sprout said, 'I always knew you were the brightest in our house,' as well!"

"Oh you liar!"

That commenced a rather nasty pillow fight, which Zacharias even joined in when he extracted the spare pillows from his cupboard. At one point Hannah knocked over his side table, spewing its contents all around the room. Zacharias was having so much fun however; he didn't even start complaining about the mess. She was only worried for a moment – really.

A knock on the door stopped them, a concerned look on Ernie's face not knowing how Zacharias's parents might react to all the noise, Hannah just looking flushed from all the activity, her pale skin always pinkish with even the effort of breathing and Zacharias's smile gone from his face like spotted dick at a family dinner.

"Zach? Would you three like anything to eat?" His father was always insisting on eating, and it was nearly enough to make the sixteen year old go insane.

_"You're so thin," he said, pinching his son's stomach through his shirt. "You need to eat more. Don't they feed you at school?"_

_"I eat just fine, thank you," he admonished, batting his father's hand away._

_"You don't look it."_

"Dad! We're _fine_!"

"Actually mate, I could use something to eat. My mum was off in Diagon Alley picking up some ingredients for an antidote to my Aunt Dilys's doxy bite, so I haven't eaten since yesterday." He gave a sad expression and rubbed his tummy.

"I wouldn't mind some biscuits," Hannah added.

"Oh _fine_," he conceded, unlocking the door to allow his father to have a proper conversation.

"Your mum's made some sandwiches and there are crisps as well." Hannah and Ernie both made to rush downstairs but Zacharias's father motioned for him to stay behind. "Your mum's concerned that you're not eating," he started.

"Dad! It's you who's always on me about food!"

"Well, I had a word with your mum and she agrees, Flower. You need to eat!"

"Dad, stop calling me that. It's _Zacharias_."

"You're such a hard-ass," his father said flatly. "Calm down."

He just rolled his eyes at his father and brushed past him. Just because his parents were complete loons didn't mean he had to be as well.

When he arrived in the kitchen he found his mum already seated across from Hannah and Ernie, who were both stuffing their faces with sandwiches and gulping down coca-cola.

"…Didn't even have the right to _vote_, but he still thinks…"

"Mum, you're not off about women again are you? Because Ernie's gay and Hannah's straight, so…" He smiled and his mum just shook her head. Ernie gave him an odd look but continued eating.

"I think it's interesting," Hannah said. "I mean, you teach whole classes on women's rights?"

"Well there's a lot to teach," Amelia said, her eyes lighting up. Zacharias knew that she was going to start, and once she started it was hard to get her to stop. As she went off, Hannah enraptured with the lecture, Edward sat down next to Ernie and dug into the sandwiches.

"What do you do, Mr. Smith?"

"I work for the R.S.P.C.A.," he said proudly. "I'm chief editor of Animal Action."

"Really? What's that?"

"You've never heard of us?"

"He's from a wizard family, dad," Zacharias added, sighing.

"Oh right." He smiled and began speaking through sandwich, something that really annoyed his son to no end. "Well you see, muggles," – he said this with an almost glee at using something he considered an 'in' word, like a club – "aren't all very good with animals. We tend to kill them off without thinking."

"That's horrible," Ernie said. "You've killed off animals?" And then his father started in on animal rights and animal testing. This went on for nearly ten minutes before he stopped. "Aren't you going to eat?" Zacharias just rolled his eyes and dropped his head on the table.


	2. Pajama Party

_Chapter Two_

The rest of the summer holidays seemed to fly by. Zacharias found himself doing more reading and N.E.W.T. preparations than anything, only seeing Hannah a few times before September first rolled around. He hardly saw Ernie except when they were forced together by one of the gang, mostly because Ernie had to be picked up and Hannah's parents were the only ones willing to drive to get him. Zacharias's parents might have as well, but being seen in public with them was never something he'd do purposefully.

"I can't believe you're in sixth year already," his mum said over dinner the night before he was to leave. "You're growing up so fast."

"He grew up when he was ten," his father said with a slight smirk. Rolling his eyes seemed to go unnoticed in this household, but the boy did it anyway. "I want to go onto the platform with you this year."

"N-No!"

"Why not?" Now his mother was looking excited, her face all lit up like a Christmas tree. "I'd love to meet your friends' parents, especially the wizarding ones. And we could get some new ideas for wizard fashion!" She was glowing, and Zacharias was picturing the looks on everyone's faces, well, the muggle-borns anyway. "In six years I've never been to the platform with you," she added, his father also looking up wistfully and exchanging a heated look with his wife.

Zacharias's mum had used the nineteenth century wizard clothing as an example in her teachings. She told anyone who would listen that she wore the clothes as an expression of the oppression of women for the last thousand years. It had even gotten Hannah's interest, much to Zacharias's dismay. Interest meant discussion, which meant more people knowing his parents were batty.

"I just don't think it's a good idea." He had never said to their faces that they embarrassed him, as he did love them, but he was running out of ideas. For first year he had just said he wanted to go alone, and that had been enough. By second year, he'd had to claim they didn't allow muggles on the platform. Unfortunately in third year, they met Ernie's folks outside and they explained that wasn't true, so Zacharias had suggested that they all go out for lunch. That had been a mistake because that's how it came to pass that Ernie wouldn't speak to him for the rest of the school year when his mum wrote that Zacharias's mum had told her Ernie was gay and gone off on how proud they should be. Ernie later told him that his parents weren't so much upset about his being gay, but more that they'd been unceremoniously tricked into having dinner with his boyfriend's parents without prior knowledge. Both boys were disgusted.

Fourth year had been easy as they had gone to a friend's wedding and he hadn't needed worry, but fifth year required planning. Zacharias was good at planning, and succeeded in setting it up that his parents would be quite busy when it came time to leave, giving him opportunity to take the underground into the city and avoid them even coming along. This time, he didn't know what to do.

That's how he ended up at King's Cross with his parents, all standing next to the barrier to Platform 9¾ and preparing to fall into it. His parents went first so he could walk through normally with his trolley, and he gave a burdened sigh when his mom squealed before falling through.

Things were just as bad as he'd expected when everyone was there watching, including Harry Potter of all people. His parents looked just like every other wizarding family though, so he almost felt relieved that no one seemed to actually be paying attention. He would never have admitted that to anyone, though. His muggle-born friends were still seeing his batty parents, and they _would_ know the difference.

"ZACHY!!" Susan Bones ran up to him and practically knocked him over, hugged him so tight he had trouble breathing, and causing several parents and a few students to look over. One of them was Ginny Weasley, whom Zacharias knew from the DA meetings least year.

"Hullo, Susan," he replied, his tone flat and controlled while he tried to pull himself from her embrace.

"Have you seen?" she whispered conspiratorially. "Harry's got new glasses this year. And look at those _jeans_! His _arse_, Zachy!" She was the only one who could get away with calling him that, mostly because she hexed him every time he suggested she call him 'Zacharias' for all of second year. She was a lot better at hexes than he was, even after time spent in the DA.

"Susan," he said, his teeth gritted and a practical whine in his voice as Harry motioned passed them to get to his own friends. "He can _hear_ you!"

"No he can not. Don't be such a prat all the time; you'll get warts." She beamed at him, planted a kiss on his mouth and dragged him over to everyone else.

Justin was there, positively glowing. "Eleven O.W.L.S.," he was saying. "My parents were so proud!"

"Oh give it a rest, Justin," Hannah said before putting her arm around Zacharias and Ernie, pulling them close and trying to weasel their arms around each other. Ernie poked her and pulled away, standing next to Susan who gave Hannah an unreadable look. "We all know how many O.W.L.S. you've got," she finished.

"Yeah, well, how many did you get, Smith?" Justin had called him 'Smith' since halfway through first year. _"'Zacharias' is just too long, so if you won't let me call you 'Zach', I'll just call you 'Smith'."_

"I received eleven as well," he said proudly, his parents making their way back over just in time to hear.

"He would have had twelve, but he couldn't remember some runes' names," his mother said, beaming. "I'm Mrs. Smith," she said to Susan, who was looking as though she were trying to place her.

"Susan," she smiled, taking note of the clothing and adding, "I thought Zachy had muggle parents?"

"Oh we are!" She looked over to Zacharias and winked, inclining her head at Susan's use of his nickname. "We just _love_ the clothes." His mum hooked her arm into Susan's and began to walk away, whispered lectures on the importance of women's history no doubt spewing from her mouth.

"Oh here comes Granger," Ernie said with a tone. "She'll no doubt start in on that _spew_ thing again, you think?"

"Oh she must have given up already," Hannah said with assurance. "She's much too reasonable to think anyone cares. Hermione!" She rushed over to greet Granger with a hug, pulling her over to stand next to Zacharias, making winking faces at him as she mouthed 'She knows Potter' as if Zacharias were stupid. "You remember Zacharias?"

"Oh yes," she said with a snotty tone, obviously not pleased. Zacharias wasn't too thrilled with the idea of the high-and-mighty Gryffindor 'know-it-all' either. Unfortunately even he couldn't help but admit that she _was_ right a lot, and therefore he didn't actually hate her.

He was about to retort when Justin came up behind him and poked him hard in the back, whispering, "You'll never get Potter if you make her an enemy!"

Zacharias flushed and sputtered, "H-hullo," instead, vowing to dump ink all over Finch-Fletchley's bed when they got to school.

"I just came over because I wanted to see if –" She was pulling out a box that rattled, which everyone remembered.

"Hermione! You must come to the Hufflepuff pajama party on Saturday. It'll be a blast!" Hannah was cutting her off, obviously trying to stop her from going on about 'spew'.

"Oh, I, well, I suppose that might be fun."

"And don't forget to bring Harry." Justin poked her too. "And Ron," she added quickly.

"Oh, of course, but about –" Hannah began leading her away and Zacharias caught a few words, "no one wants to hear about 'spew', dear." - "It's S.P.E.W.!"

"I hate you all," Zach said to Justin and Ernie, who both looked extremely pleased with themselves.

"I heard Potter and that Thomas bloke were caught making out at the Astronomy tower," Justin said, ignoring Zacharias.

"I heard it was Finnegan."

"They're not gay," Susan said, returning without Zacharias's mom, who he could now see talking to Susan's aunt. "Dean's seeing that Ginny Weasley in fifth year and Finnegan was caught in a broom cupboard with Mandy Brocklehurst."

"Oh really? Well, what about Potter?"

"Didn't he have a thing with that Chang girl from Ravenclaw?"

"Oh but that was a nightmare," Hannah said, coming over and joining in the huddle. "I heard she tried to kiss him and he didn't even know what to do!"

"Worse," Susan said, her voice all sultry and in its element. "I heard he spit at her and said she was gross!"

"Oh come on!" Zacharias was sick of this. He knew they were doing it to tease him, but this was going too far. Inviting Potter to the pajama party was ridiculous. Even if he were gay, he was Harry bloody Potter!

"Oh honestly, Zachy," Susan said, pulling him close and pouting at him "We're only trying to help you out."

"The same way you've been trying to get Ernie and I together?"

"No, this time we're serious." She looked like she was plotting something and he suddenly felt as though a nest of wasps had flown into his stomach. Unfortunately before he could say anything, they were all rushed to the train as the whistle sounded. Ernie and Hannah disappeared with the rest of the prefects while Susan and Justin joined him in a compartment.

"I, uh, need to… find the loo," Justin said suspiciously after a few minutes, disappearing with his face all red.

"What's that about?"

"I hear he's seeing a Ravenclaw," Susan said blandly. "Thinks he's being all secretive about it."

"Oh." Zacharias was the only one in the crew who knew that Hannah was madly in love with Justin. She refused to tell him because she knew he considered her more a sister, so she swore her best friend to secrecy.

"Your parents are lovely," she said with a smile. "Your mum introduced me to your dad, and he's just as proud of you as she is. And how they wear wizard clothing! It's so supportive." He rolled his eyes, about to go on about how annoying it all was when she said, "And if I ever hear you so much as breathe such nasty things about your parents again, I'll hex you so bad you'll never recover." He looked startled, and she continued. "All last year you went on about how much of a bother they were, and how embarrassing they are." She shook her head, looking more like a mother than a friend. "And you, who claim to like Harry, have the nerve to complain about such loving parents?"

"I—" He was distinctly bothered by this. It was so bad he no longer knew what to say, even.

"You're not only going to talk to Potter at the party, but you're going to be the nicest person you can be." She was holding her wand threateningly and Zacharias couldn't help swallowing a rather large stone that had lodged itself in his throat. "You were a complete prat to him last year, and even though I know it's because you fancy him, after this bit of realization, I'm quite upset with you."

"Susan, I…" He was at a loss for words. No one had ever spoken to him like this in his entire life, and he was suddenly feeling very young. "I'm sorry."

"As you should be." She stood up and dropped heavily next to him. "Now that's said, I think we should get more pictures of Potter for your wall." She was glowing, her tone so different from just a moment ago that Zacharias had a sudden feeling of having been in a twister. "I have that Creevey bloke on payroll to get a few good shots in."

"You're _paying_ him?"

"Well he's not nearly as infatuated as he was in first year," she said, her voice inflecting purposefully at her use of the word 'infatuated'. "I had to promise him seven of my chocolate frog cards for six photos. It would have been one per, but he said he'd want at least two for the picture of Harry in his boxers."

"You didn't!" Zacharias's face was completely red at the idea for two reasons; one reason was that it was bound to get out that he'd wanted it and also because the idea was extremely attractive.

"Didn't what," Justin asked, returning with very kissed lips.

"Never you mind," Susan said, her face becoming rather menacing. "Just who have you been snogging?"

"I—What?" Justin was looking as if someone had just turned his mum into a toad like in the fairytales and he was backing toward the door. "No one. I… don't have anyone—"

"Right," Susan said, her eyes squinted in determination.

- - -

"Merlin that Malfoy is a prat," Hannah exclaimed as she sat roughly down between Ernie and Zacharias, her rage apparently not enough to stop her from grabbing both their hands and trying to tug them together. Neither would let her, but neither even feigned concern as this was such a common occurrence they both assumed it was mere habit.

"What'd he do now?"

"He hexed Elanor's hair so it turned yellow and black and tries to jump off her head." Justin made a snorting noise that promptly caused Hannah's book to jump out of her hand and nick him in the head with its corner. Susan merely smiled behind her book until she could gather up enough disgust to scowl.

"If it weren't Malfoy, you'd all be laughing. That Elanor girl is a bit off and you know you'd have done it yourself if you'd thought of it first." Zacharias purposely ignored all the glares he was now receiving, finding the passage in _Quidditch Through the Ages_ more interesting. He'd seen Harry reading this book, so he thought he might check it out again.

"Did you hear?" Hannah was ignoring Zacharias and her tone was now very secretive, a whisper that made everyone but him lean in for the gossip. "Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are finally together."

"Oh that's old news," Ernie said quickly, affecting a bored tone.

"Well I know a better secret than that," Susan said, positively grinning at Justin, who suddenly looked as though he'd rather be anywhere but at this study table. "Guess who's been seeing Lisa Turpin?" Justin's face was now completely red and his hands were shaking. He also seemed to find the lines on the table fascinating.

"Could it be the boy who's gone red and can't control his hands?"

"Oh, Zachy I'm going to hex you! You're always spoiling my fun!" He quirked an eyebrow at her suggestively and she threw a quill at him.

"I—I…"

"As if we didn't all know," Hannah said, a painted grin on her face. Quietly, Zacharias reached under the table and took her hand in his, squeezing it. "No big deal, Justin."

"Lisa Turpin?" Ernie looked contemplative. "She's alright. I prefer that Padma Patil if you're going to go Ravenclaw." Everyone turned toward him, shocked expressions on their faces. "What? It's not like you ever _asked _me if I were gay."

"Oh yes we did!" Susan looked utterly flabbergasted. "You said you were!"

"No, I said I fancied Wayne, not that I was gay."

"You devil!" Hannah was hitting him with her textbook repeatedly, which was causing him to slink away from her only to be hit harder. "You purposefully implied –"

"Excuse me! That is not how books are meant to be used! And your noise level is _quite_ inappropriate!"

Madame Pince always seemed to ruin a good gossip session.

Luckily study time was over and they were all ready to go back and laze about in the common room until the party. Unfortunately, at one point they all shoved Zacharias away and told him they had to speak privately, which left his stomach in knots of terror at what these horribly Slytherin-like Hufflepuffs were up to.

As he sat grumpily in a chair by the window, he'd occasionally shout over things like, "You know, plotting is a _Slytherin_ trait," or "Your face looks quite disgusting when you make that sneaky expression, Susan!" All this earned him was a rather nasty wart on the end of his nose, which he suspected could hardly be flattering in any attempts to win over Harry's heart.

The week's classes had been rather interesting. Usually during the first week things went kind of slow; everyone lethargic from hols gave the teachers an excuse to be lazy as well, or so he'd thought. What he now knew was that they were only taking that break from the pre-O.W.L. students because they redoubled their efforts on the upper-levels. He had seven inches due in Potions already on the history of animaserum and poly-juice each, which he suspected should be banned.

Potter was in his N.E.W.T. class, and from what he gathered no one had suspected that. "Harry's crap at Potions," Neville had said during Herbology. "Or so we all thought. I guess I really am the only one who can't make a potion to save my life." Everyone knew that he was horribly afraid of Snape, but he made up for it with his knowledge of herbs and plants.

When it was finally getting close to time for the party, the gang sweetly invited him back into the huddle, but he refused with a haughty expression and made his way to his rooms to have a shower and get ready.

"Wait! Zachy!" Susan rushed after him, catching him up just before he disappeared down the boy's corridor. "Let me get rid of this," she said, pointing her wand to make the wart disappear. Sadly, he'd forgotten it was there and quickly threw her a dirty look. "Oh don't pout, you know you deserved it." She winked, kissed him and dashed off.

- - -

"Do I look alright?" Justin was blushing and looking at himself in the mirror. He was wearing silk pajama shorts and a matching top that only buttoned up to just around where his nipples would be. The revealing patches of skin showed that he was quite smooth-chested and his skin was just as pale as the rest of him. Zacharias had seen him naked before however, so this didn't even phase him.

"You look like a prat," Ernie said from across the room, brushing his hair in the mirror and wearing a pair of Martin Migg's pajamas with random images of muggle artifacts such as a lighter, a television and a car.

"And you really look better? Haven't you outgrown Martin yet?" Justin's tone was mirthful and Ernie threw a pillow at him in response.

"I'll have you know that Martin the Mad Muggle is an all ages article," he said with a lot of dignity. After laughing a little when Justin gave him a disbelieving look, he turned to Zacharias and said, "Aren't you going to get ready?"

"I'm not going."

"What? Why not?"

"You lot are going to do something awful and embarrassing, I can just tell."

"Oh come on, Smith! You can't sit around being a prat _all_ the time!" Zacharias gave Justin a very put-out look, not quite a pout because he didn't pout, but Justin just shook his head. "Susan and Hannah are going to kill you if you don't come."

"I bet they'll hex him some warts just like Susan's always threatening."

"Yeah! You'll look great with warts," Justin added.

"It'll mar that beautiful skin though," Ernie said regretfully. "I always did love your skin, mate."

"I knew you loved him!" Justin exclaimed. "Just wait until I tell Hannah!" With that, Justin ran out of the room presumably to find Hannah. Ernie chased after him, leaving Zacharias alone, fully dressed in his school uniform.

Happy to be alone, finally, he sat on his bed and grabbed up his borrowed copy of _Moste Potente Potions_ and began reading about the polyjuice potion. He wasn't sure how long he'd really have before the two girls finally found him and dragged him to the party, but he figured he'd get a bit of studying in first.

As predicted, around nine the girls rushed in wearing matching pink pajama outfits, Susan's with old-fashioned frills and Hannah's more of a muggle design.

"Zachy, you can't pout in here all night," Susan began. "There's someone out there waiting for you."

"I doubt he's waiting for me," Zacharias said with no mirth in his tone. "And I really wish you two would stop harassing me about this."

Hannah joined him on the bed, putting her arm around him sympathetically. "It's really too bad, I spoke with Granger about him." The blond gave her a nasty look, doubtful but fearful. "Yup," Hannah added, "And she said she thinks he might be gay after all."

"Oh," he said, letting out his held breath. "Well that doesn't mean he'll be into me. He seemed to despise me last year."

"That's because you spent the whole year saying useless shite and spouting doubts about his honour," Susan said angrily. "I'd hate you too."

"Yeah, I have to agree," Hannah added. "But you're still coming, and you're going to straighten your hair, too."

"I most certainly am _not_."

Susan pointed her wand, which seemed almost to appear in her hand, at his head and muttered the straitening spell while Hannah made a quick move to restrain him from ducking out of the way. When it was over, he ran over to the mirror and gaped at it; standing before him was the same image he saw every day, a skinny blond boy with enough muscle to keep him from looking emaciated, a face that was smooth and pale and a gawky bone structure that bothered him immensely. Only now, his hair was straight and he resembled some sort of pretty-boy model, which was the last thing he needed.

"What'd you go and do that for?" he asked, shouting. "I look like bloody Jonathan Brandis or something!"

"Is that bad?" Susan asked. "I rather think Jonathan's a hottie."

"Yeah me too," Hannah said with a huge grin. "And so are _you_!"

He looked back at the mirror, his image winking at him and grimaced. Zacharias had never, and could never think of himself as anything near 'pretty', and faking his appearance was definitely not something he was happy to be doing. "I'm not going."

"You are going even if we have to bind you and strip you ourselves." He believed Susan, but he was hoping to convince Hannah.

"Hannah, you can't be serious. You're going to make a –"

But suddenly he couldn't speak, or move, or even blink; all he could do was stand there, looking ahead at the two of them in mortified shock. They were seriously binding him and, yes, stripping him!

"Ooh, Zachy," Susan cooed. "_Nice_ boxers."

"I love the plaid, it's so … Hufflepuff." Hannah smirked up at him, giving him a kiss on the cheek and whispering, "It'll be alright love, trust us," in his ear.

"Oh merlin! His _socks_ too! My, you are full of house pride, aren't you?"

"I don't like them," Hannah judged, her fingers rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "They're sort of a mustard color, aren't they? Not really house colors."

"Close enough," Susan decided, waving her wand to float him through the door and out into the common room. When they reached the edge of the hallway, where Zacharias could now see the common room filled with mostly his housemates, but also a few Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, notably Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley who were talking with that batty Luna Lovegood, but so far no Harry. Zach would have let out a sigh of relief, but he was currently unable to.

"Suppose we should let him out? Or maybe we should bind his wrists first."

"No, he'll stay, or he'll have to live with bat's ears until next week." For emphasis, Susan came around and tapped her wand against her palm in support of her threat. Then, after releasing the bind, she tucked it into the waistband of her silk pajama bottoms.

"I hate you both. Hate."

"You love us," Hannah consoled, taking his arm into hers and leading him towards an empty sofa. "And Harry will be here soon."

"Bloody hell," he muttered, sitting down, embarrassed to be in his knickers in front of the entire house. "Couldn't I at least go and change into – "

"No," they said in unison.

He flopped backward grumpily and glared at everyone who bothered to look in his direction. "Hate," he muttered once in a while. "You," he would add after a minute, and then, "Both," not much after.

However, after only ten minutes of sitting around dejectedly, Zacharias heard the entrance open up and couldn't help glancing over nervously; knowing Harry was the only one missing from the soiree. And, because it was physically painful to look at Harry whilst Zacharias was only clad in his boxers, he immediately turned away and tried to see if he could count the cracks in the floor.

"He's _here_," Hannah squealed. "I'll go get Granger," she said, jumping up and taking off toward where Hermione must have been.

"Granger's in on this?"

"Well, not that she really knows she is," Susan answered, distracted by something. "Hannah has her thinking that _Hannah_ has the crush, though she never lied directly."

He could see where this was going, and it wasn't a good place. He made to get up and run but Susan's distraction was apparently not enough because she had her wand out and pointed at him before he could even lean all the way forward.

"I don't think so," she smirked. "You're in for the long haul."

Resigned, he sat back and watched as Harry made his way over to the Weasley & Granger show, guest starring Hannah Abbott. The Boy Who Lived was still wearing all his clothes, which garnered him skeptical looks from some of the seventh-years dancing about. The music, which Zacharias now realized was muggle in origin, was playing along at a fast pace with words barely discernable from the background noise. It was good for dancing, but Zacharias suspected this crap wouldn't make it anywhere near his bedroom unless someone drugged him.

As he continued to monitor, Weasley and Granger both goaded Harry into stripping out of his trousers, which now completely held the disgustingly hormonal gay boy's attention. Potter's face reddened as he revealed red boxers with white hearts, only slightly faded from use, and a pair of old socks that looked the worse for wear, even though they were still white as the day they were bought. Good thing about magic, but apparently he didn't know the spell to fix the elastic as his right sock couldn't seem to keep itself up. Zacharias found himself taking in Harry's legs, which were so lightly haired they almost appeared smooth from this distance. He followed them up to the boxers, noticing the beautiful curve of a seeker's legs, sleek and tight and … His mind was racing and he suddenly needed to grab the nearby pillow and look away.

"Oh Zachy, if you keep that up you'll not even need Potter's help."

"Hate. You." He glared at her, but to no avail as she was now pulling him forcibly up and to the dance floor, where, to his horror, he saw that Hannah and Potter were now dancing. Harry was still wearing his white uniform shirt, apparently not having that stripped off as well.

As Susan dragged him around, pretending to dance, suddenly Justin's voice echoed around the room, "Okay everyone, same-sex partners only!" There was a gasp and several giggles, but because it was a party and everyone enjoyed a good bit of fun in Hufflepuff house, no one hesitated to switch off, including and most especially Hannah and Susan, who threw Harry and Zacharias together.

"Uh, hullo Smith," Harry said nervously as they began to dance.

"Hullo, Potter. Alright?"

"Alright."

They remained silent as they danced, Harry holding his hand and apparently just as nervous as Zacharias felt. His head was spinning from the heat of the room, the feel of Harry's sweaty hand rubbing against his own and his other caressing Potter's waist, feeling the thin material of the faded boxers as the only barrier between him and the silky, beautiful skin beneath. He could tell he was starting to hyperventilate, the song and noise of the crowd around him nearly drowned out completely from the beating of his heart. He was hardly aware of how the song suddenly changed paces, and now it was slower and Potter was pulling him closer and, oh my god, he was going to slow dance with Harry fucking Potter.

"This is a bit silly, isn't it?" Harry's voice was soft, right in his ear where his cheek was currently rubbing against Zacharias's own.

"No," he said, his voice strong and sure, the façade he kept around Potter holding. "It's what we do every year."

"Oh. Well, it's quite…" Harry's face was so close that Zacharias could feel the day's light stubble pressing against his own smooth face. Apparently Harry didn't use shaving spells, but maybe an old fashioned razor instead. He felt the boy's chest touch his own, a full on contact he wasn't ready for. His racing pulse increased another few notches and he breathed out lustfully into his partner's ear. "Nice," Harry finished, his breath soft against the blond's earlobe. "Your hair," he said, his voice a bit louder. "Did you change it?"

"Susan," he breathed, so softly that he wondered if it had even been loud enough.

"Looks nice," Harry replied softly.

He was so close now that they were nearly touching all over, and Zacharias was oblivious to the rest of the crowd, which was something he'd never felt before. Harry was sucking him up and pulling him out of the real world into this fantasy where two boys could fall in love in the middle of a crowded dance floor. But, this was _Harry Potter_, he reminded himself.

As they continued to dance, Zacharias thought of his mum and dad embarrassing him in front of Michael and all his old school mates, telling them all about how he came to be called 'flower' at his tenth birthday party. How Michael had laughed at him and his 'friends' had started to make fun of him, calling him 'flower' every time they saw him. How suddenly kids at school were calling him 'bender' and 'fag' and throwing things and hurting him.

"This is fucking bullshit," Zacharias said suddenly, the feel of Potter's body against his not enough to keep him from being extremely angry. He pulled away, practically shoving Potter and stormed off to his dorm.

Susan and Hannah both watched him go with their mouths hung open, slowly turning to the rather embarrassed Harry. "What – "

"He's such a git," Harry said, his face red with anger. He stormed over to his friends, grabbed his trousers and hurriedly put them on before running out of the common room.

"Well that didn't fucking work," Susan said, dispirited.

"He's a bloody wanker," Hannah sighed.

"I'm going to hex him." Susan made to go but Hannah grabbed her hand.

"Leave him."

Susan just nodded, looking back at where Zacharias had disappeared, her expression both disappointed and annoyed.

"I'll get him later," Hannah added, and Susan's face brightened.


	3. Library Interlude

_Chapter Three_

"What the bloody fuck is wrong with you?"

Zacharias had never been scared of anyone in his life until he met Susan Bones. She not only didn't have any fear of him, didn't listen to him and didn't think his tantrums were acceptable, but she was likely to hex him from here to next week if she thought he was out of line. Being an only child with hippie parents who think punishment is telling you, 'that's not very nice,' he wasn't used to this sort of thing.

"Sod off," he said defiantly, inside terrified of her wand coming through the closed golden curtains and hexing him. He actually flinched a little when they were pulled aside, but he assumed she wouldn't notice.

"Don't tell me to sod off, Zacharias Smith." She looked fit to be tied. "After all we went through to set that up and things were going so well and you just _threw a fit_! What were you _thinking_?"

"He's not gay," he said petulantly, glad that no one else was around to hear him sound so sulky; it would ruin his reputation.

"Not gay?" She threw her arms up and then fell over on the bed, landing on her back and staring up at the canvas ceiling of the four-poster. "Zachy, did you even pay attention to what was going on?" She looked at him for an answer, but he just stared ahead and tried to look like he couldn't hear her. "He was going to kiss you."

"No he wasn't."

"His lips were on your _cheek_!"

"Harry Potter would not kiss _me_ in front of all of Hufflepuff house."

"He nearly did!' She was yelling now, and he could see her hand reflexively gong for her wand. He flinched again, closing his eyes and fighting back anger. Getting angry with Susan only made things worse. "You know," she said, more calmly, which he wasn't sure was a good thing. "You're the only person who frustrates me this much." She sighed, long and drawn out, sitting up and taking his hands into her own. "Zach, I love you so much," she said softly. "You're one of my _best_ friends. I've known you long enough to know why you are how you are, and I am determined to make you see that you're not complete shite."

"I'm not shite."

"No, you're not. You seem to think we think so, though." Thoughts of all his fears came to mind, but he pushed them back and sat up straighter, ready to tell her off for putting him down. "You're honest, and caring, and intelligent. You're great with potions and charms, and you know how to hold a conversation in the most unlikely situations." His anger ebbed just a little. "You're bloody irritating as hell if someone dares to suggest something involving you being attractive," he rolled his eyes and she smacked him. "You're fucking _gorgeous_," she said strongly. "And I've never seen a chaser as good as you on any Quidditch team."

"Fuck off," he said, not really meaning it.

"Zacharias, you need to stop being such a prat." He looked at her, his face feeling warm and his eyes stinging a little, wishing very much that he could say something nice to her, but instead finding himself wishing to just be left alone. "I wish you weren't gay," she said, her voice wistful. "That stupid idiot Ernie," she added, almost a mumble.

"You fancy Ernie?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He shook his head, suddenly feeling very badly indeed. "And then I find out he's not even completely gay. He's a wanker."

"Pegged him there."

She threw him a smile, wiping away a tear that was threatening to run away on her and sat back. "I've arranged it with Granger that you're going to meet him in the library tomorrow."

"What?" His voice was panicked and he hated himself just then.

"He doesn't know," she added. "You're going to apologize to him."

"I am not!" She raised an eyebrow and put her hand on her wand, causing him to stutter a bit. "N-not going to be late."

"Right."

- - -

Sundays had always been quiet, relaxing days in his earlier years at Hogwarts. He remembered hours spent outdoors, flying around lazily on his broom and playing mini-Quidditch games with the rest of the gang. Now though, classes were so hard that most of his mates spent their free time studying to keep up, especially those in Snape's potions N.E.W.T. class. Harry was apparently no exception to this as that was how it came that he was going to be in the library today, studying at the behest of Granger, whose duty it seemed to be to make him.

Zacharias came in wearing his favorite trousers and a button-up, which was about as casual as he liked to get. His parents had tried making him wear shorts when he was younger, but he had come to the realization that his legs were short and thin and reminded him too much of a chicken's for his comfort, so he always wore trousers afterward.

For a while he just stood near the entrance, just off to the side, and sought out Potter's messy hair, which wasn't hard in the sparse crowd. The boy was utterly sexy, Zacharias thought. His hair was just wild enough to look untamed and hot without being disturbing and his face was so open and revealing that every emotion played across it like a movie. He'd watched Harry for months, spurned on by his introduction to him last year. For most of the first few years he'd only heard about him and seen him occasionally in the halls, but he figured someone as famous as Potter would be self-important and cruel like Malfoy. Instead, he found someone who was honest, sincere, modest and emotional, who didn't like his fame or want people to like him for it. Susan thought he had been acting like a child on a playground, 'pulling pigtails' as it were to get Potter's attention, but he'd actually been testing him, searching him out and discerning whether he was truly as good a person as he lead people to believe. By the end of the year, Zacharias was in love and Harry thought he was a prat. Brilliant.

Now, watching him at the study table with potions texts around him he looked like a good student, almost a Ravenclaw, but the occasionally frustrated sigh and distracted look about let Zacharias know he wasn't as good at studying as Ravenclaws were.

When he finally made his way over, he bristled and expected a fight or some sort of embarrassed scene, but instead Potter ignored him. Even when he sat down and coughed, there was no response. It started to make him angry to be ignored like this; people shouldn't be so rude. Finally Harry looked up at him, anger and frustration playing across his features. Zacharias took note that his eyes were fiery green, flecks of gold giving them an almost burning intensity. He'd never been able to look at them this close before. His heart warmed a little, the fire of Potter's eyes enough to melt the lake in winter.

"What do you want, Smith? Come to make fun of me again?"

"I—What?"

"I suppose you think it's funny because I'm queer, right? Just go ahead and lead me on, then embarrass me in front of everyone and it's alright because I'm bloody Harry Potter; Gryffindor hero. I can take it, right?"

"Erm, no, actually," he replied, his mind working overtime to catch up with this tirade.

"Well what do you want, then?"

"I… came to…" His anger was flaring, and he was fighting to control himself. The words weren't sinking in, only his tone. Zacharias had never responded well to anger from people he didn't know, and Potter was no exception. He decided to blurt it out before he would change his mind, hoping it would help. "I came to bloody apologize for being an arsehole." Harry sat silently, his face muddled with emotion. Zacharias felt his own temper subside a little and took a chance, as his brain started to catch up with his ears. "Did you say you were queer?"

"Yah," Harry said, looking defensive. "Not many people know about it," he added, softer. "I – sort of just figured it out."

"Really?"

"Yah."

They sat in silence for a bit, just watching each other. Zacharias felt suddenly horrible, his mind seeing last night through the other boy's eyes. The thought _I really am a prat_ crossed his mind, but he pushed it aside and instead made a look around to see if anyone else were looking. When he saw that aside from Madame Pince, who was currently restocking shelves and thoroughly distracted, no one was around, he reached over and took Harry's hand, gently, nervously, his heart beating a thousand times a minute, and pulled it into his own.

"I, um, wanted to say," he cleared his throat, suddenly finding it completely scratchy. "Well, last year, I mean…" He let it trail off, suddenly wondering whether this made any sense. Last year he'd been a complete idiot and now, all of a sudden Potter wants him? "Hang on," he blurted out angrily before he could stop himself. "Shouldn't you hate me? Shouldn't you… Wait, is this some kind of joke?" He looked around again, dropping Harry's hand, determined to find a group of Gryffindors lurking around and giggling at his expense.

"Zach, cut it out," Harry said, grabbing and squeezing Zacharias's hand to stop him from pulling away. "Yeah, you were a jerk," he said softly, forcing the blond to look at him. "And at first I thought you were a lost cause, but you sort of changed towards the end." He kept a steady gaze into Zacharias's, willing the angered and self-conscious boy to listen and hear him. "You changed, and I saw you differently over the summer. I had a lot of time to think things over."

"You thought about me over the summer?"

"A little," Harry said sheepishly. "Not like obsessively, just, sort of couldn't help it. I mean, you were so different than everyone else. You didn't just accept what I said like, well, cattle or something."

"You were vague," he mused, hardly even realizing that Potter's fingers were stroking the back of his hand. "It frustrated me." When it finally did dawn on him that his hand was being caressed, he pulled it back quickly and gave Harry a paranoid look. "It's still a bit odd," he said harshly. "You weren't a pouf last year."

"Well, I suppose I hadn't really had time to think about it, had I?" Harry's tone was also harsh now, his face looking dejected and angry again. "What with fighting Voldemort and my godfather dying and all that? But I suppose you'd like I should have just come to you years ago, right? I didn't know you years ago, but that's the only way it makes sense, does it?" He stood up, slamming his books closed and stuffing them angrily into his sack. "You know, Ron's right; you're never going to change and you're not worth all the trouble."

"Oh Ron said that, did he?" Zacharias was on his feet now as well, his hands clenching and un-clenching in a desire to be doing _something_ other than just hanging uselessly. "Well Ron's a big fucking _idiot_!"

"He's a lot smarter than you are! At least he can be honest with himself!" And with that, Harry's bag fully packed and Madame Pince's glares coming toward them from the stacks, Potter took off.

"Well that went well," Hannah said, coming in at such an opportune moment that Zacharias could only assume she'd been spying on him. "You are such an idiot," she said, disappearing as well.

He sat heavily back into the chair and lowered his head. He was an idiot.

- - -

The following day he saw Harry first at breakfast, looking rather glum and making a nasty face when he noticed Zacharias paying attention. None of his friends were talking to him just then, except for Justin who seemed to think it was all very funny. Hannah had told him that if he couldn't even be trusting of someone he wanted to be in a relationship with, how could he trust her? Susan had agreed and they'd both been ignoring him since. Ernie was just silently saying nothing, trying to avoid the whole inter-group conflict altogether.

Since they were his only friends, Zacharias now found himself sitting very much alone, and he realized, slowly and stubbornly trying not to of course, that it was his own fault.

In a desire to tell someone, he grabbed up parchment and a quill and began to write:

> _Dear Mum,_
> 
> _I wanted to say that I was sorry for the way I acted on September the first. I know I was horrible to you and dad, an I need to stop being so disgusting to you two. Susan wanted me to say that, and I suppose it took me a while to see why. I love you both very much, but sometimes I just get scared – Like just now, when I wrote that I had this horrible wrenching feeling in my stomach because I'm telling you something about how I feel._
> 
> _Mum, what's wrong with me? I feel like I can't trust anyone and I don't know why. Maybe I should see a therapist or something._
> 
> _There's a boy I like. You might know him as I know you and dad have started reading the _Prophet_; Harry Potter. I met him last year for those after-school meetings I told you about. Well anyway, Susan is a very strong person and she sort of ordered me to do something about it, and her and Hannah and Justin and Ernie all conspired to get us together. Well, it sort of worked I suppose, but I kind of thought they were playing a joke and I botched it all up._
> 
> _Yesterday I went to apologize and things didn't go very well I messed everything up again, and now Hannah and Susan aren't talking to me. They say I'm emotionally void and worthless. I know they're just trying to make me see reason, which Dad has said is useless a lot of the time – like you I suppose, _he started, but crossed that off_. I'm stubborn, and stupid, and a prat and I know it, but how do I change it?_
> 
> _I miss talking to you like this. I know I'm the one who stopped, but maybe we could do this now and you could help me? I really need it. I really need you. I love you so much._
> 
> _Your son,_
> 
> _Zacharias__ – Flower_

When it was finished, he looked around to see that most everyone had done and gone, including Harry. With a sigh, he got up and folded the paper into an envelope, checking his watch to see there were ten minutes before class. It was just enough time, he guessed, and started for the Owlry.

His mind was racing with thoughts, mostly anger with himself, but he made it to the Owlry in under five minutes and quickly marched through to get the letter off before Potions. When he looked up to find an owl, he was surprised to see Hermione there.

"Hello Smith," she said softly. He could tell she wasn't angry with him, which was a little bit of a shock.

"Hey Granger." He breathed in and puffed his chest a little, courage now full. "I want to apologize." She looked confused, but said nothing. "I know you tried to help yesterday – with the library – and I went and fouled it up good."

"Too right," she said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not good with all this trust business," he said softly, suddenly unable to look her in the eye. "I'm trying, though." Normally he'd have been defiant and steady, anger hiding his emotions. Now though, it seemed like the anger was gone; something about saying it out loud seemed to have taken it away.

"Well, Harry's really hurt you know."

"Yes, and I didn't mean to hurt him."

She regarded him for a few minutes, her eyes like searchlights trying to find something hidden behind his features. She softened after a bit and gave a small smile. "It's not me you should be telling this to."

He nodded and she smiled and something inside him sort of clicked; a sense of right about this. As she left, he quickly chose one of the school owls, tied the letter and ran off to make it to Potions. Last thing he needed just then was a detention.

He arrived in class to find Malfoy and his thugs sitting where he would normally sit at the table next to Potter's. Terry Boot had usually sat with Harry, but today he was sitting with Justin and Harry was alone. With the sense of a setup, Zacharias sat down next to Harry and coughed, self-consciously, and started pulling out his homework parchment.

Snape slammed through his workroom door, his wand causing it to close after him. Wordlessly he moved to the front of the class and _accio_'d all the homework. Still silent, he pointed his wand at the board in front of the class, revealing the procedure for the start of a polyjuice potion. "As any idiot can see, we're going to put our homework to good use. The potion, as you should now know, takes just around a month to complete, mostly due to the lacewing flies. As you've done this already, we will move directly to the next step. There will be no talking to other members of the class, and your voices will not rise above a whisper. Potter, if you so much as look at Malfoy again it will be detention. Ten points from Gryffindor." Harry let out a small groan, nearly quiet enough that even Zacharias almost missed it, and Snape continued. "Now, begin."

"Do you – "

"Don't really want to talk to you," Harry cut him off. "Just do every other instruction; I'll go first."

Zacharias bit down on his anger and frustration and started preparing to do the third step. As he was cutting up one of the leeches, making sure to slice just down the middle as required, Harry retrieved their stewed flies. Once the dark-haired teen had returned, the blond was ready to make a second go.

"I think we should talk this out. I'm sorry," he said in a rush, before he could be cut off.

"Yeah, well, fat lot of good that'll do us."

"Stop being stubborn, Potter," he said angrily. "I'm a git, and I know it. I fucked up. Aren't Gryffindors supposed to be forgiving?"

"I thought that was you lot?"

"Right, well, give us a bone, will ya?"

Harry sighed, adding the leeches and stirring twenty times counter-clockwise, his eyes fogged. Zacharias could tell he wasn't really paying attention, and just before he could say, a cold voice called out, "If you don't pay more attention, you'll destroy your potion and both you and Mr. Smith will receive 'D's for your troubles. Ten points." He was soon after looking over Malfoy's work, leaving the two of them to stew a bit.

"I really am sorry," Zacharias tried again. Harry remained silent, so he continued, his courage faltering with every word. "It's not easy for me to trust people. I don't know why." He coughed and rubbed the back of his neck, which had suddenly developed a crick. "I-I like you a lot, Harry. I sort of watched you last year, and I needed to know …" He felt so nervous that bile was rising in his throat. Honesty and feelings were very difficult for him outside of his group of friends, but he knew this was important. "See, I sort of thought you'd be a prat, actually. Ironic I know. So I kept trying to make it come out that you weren't really as honest and caring, sincere and brilliant as you turned out to be." He didn't mind lacing his words with compliments, not only because they were true but also because he hoped Harry would fall for them. "It took me all year to figure it out, you see. I'm a bit thick."

"Really? Never would've guessed."

"Yah, I deserve that." Zacharias felt his pride taking a hit, but for the first time he wasn't ready to prickle up about it. He had realized Harry was poking decent fun at him, not trying to make him feel genuinely bad. It was starting to feel easier to talk to him, which was definitely good for the benefit of future trust situations. "Can you forgive me?"

Harry stayed silent, adding leeches as they came and seeming to ponder the question for a while. "I might be able to," he said softly, glancing up to make sure Snape was still far enough away not to hear. "If you'll meet me in the library after today's lessons."

"Yeah, sure," he said, his heart jumping with excitement.

"And leave your attitude behind, Smith," Harry added playfully.

"Right."

_A/N: I know this one is short, but I couldn't go on just yet because I fear the next chapter may be the last._


	4. First Date

_Chapter Four_

The rest of potions was spent in mostly quiet servitude towards the task at hand, which was both extraordinarily painful and peaceful. Zacharias not only felt the sense of comfort around Harry growing, but he could also feel his anticipation growing as well.

This is how he came to be nervously pacing back and forth in his dorm after an entire day of butterflies and near-sickness. His first date. It was sad, he thought suddenly, that it was his first date, but at the same time it was utterly exciting.

Hannah came bounding in shortly and looked him over, her face turning sour. "You're not going in your school robes?"

"What? Oh," he realized what she meant. "Well, we are supposed to study, aren't we?" She raised an eyebrow at him. He supposed _some_ teenagers went to the library to study with potential love-interests, even if she never had. "Honestly, we're just going to talk," he said stonily.

"And my mum's a badger." She gave a slight chuckle at her house-pride joke and began sifting through his wardrobe.

"Hey!"

"This will do for the trousers," she said as she tossed a pair of dressy pin-stripes onto the bed. "And… Ooohhh!" She was squealing, which he suddenly realized was a very unattractive vocalization. "It's _perfect_!"

The 'perfect' top she'd found turned out to be the most guarded and disgusting piece of clothing in his wardrobe. Justin, whom he was now doubly tired of, had given it to him last year to try and 'spice up' his attire. Zacharias had simply envisioned the spices Justin had in mind being arsenic or belladonna as a shirt in that putrid purple color would never grace his shoulders.

"It'll bring out those little dark flecks in your eyes," she said with a sigh, as if he were some doll she'd just found the perfect little dress for.

"I don't think so," he said haughtily. "I don't wear purple."

"You do now!" Before he could even offer further protest, he found her wand had been aimed and he was now standing quite naked from the waist up. The dress shirt and tie had been removed and flown gracefully into her hand, whilst his nipples began to tense up from the chill of the room. He silently cursed her for being one of the best in Hufflepuff house with charms. "Put it on or I'll call Susan."

And, thus cowed, he did so.

---

When he arrived at the library, his hair was again straightened against his will, his purple silk shirt done up with the exception of one button, which Hannah had purposefully stretched because 'skin needs to be shown when it's this sexy and smooth,' and his trousers shrunken just enough to 'accentuate that sexy arse of yours.' He felt a bit like an idiot, but he had been informed that he looked about as sexy as a skinny blond prat could look, and this from Ernie whose opinion he trusted above all the others.

He looked around the sparsely populated room to see that most students were studying, none even noticing his arrival, and none of them were Harry Potter. Somewhat disappointed, but also feeling a little put out, Zacharias made his way to a table and sat facing the door so he would know when the scarred wizard arrived.

After about half an hour, he came to the conclusion that Harry was standing him up. Knowing this had all been going too fast, and too strange to believe, he became furious and stormed all the way back to the Hufflepuff cellar.

"You're back already?" Susan was an unwelcome sight; she was in on this whole thing, even if unintentionally.

"I trusted you," he accused. "You _knew_ didn't you?"

"Knew what? What's going on?"

"Don't play coy with me, Susan Bones! Harry was never going to be there, was he? This was all some stupid little prank to play on the stupid little blond boy. Well, I've had just about enough of all this shite to last a lifetime!" Without another word, or even a spare second to hear Susan out, he disappeared out of the room again and made for the lake. He hoped no one would spot him there, and since he was a rare one to make an appearance in public on purpose, they wouldn't suspect him of going.

The lake was quiet, and his heart was racing all over. Something wet was on his cheek but he didn't have the energy to wipe it off. His eyes were itchy and his face felt hot, but mostly his heart hurt from all the over-excitement. Sitting down on a boulder that conveniently seemed suited for angsty teenaged boys, Zacharias stared out at the dark surface of the lake and saw the Giant Squid playing in the remaining rays of the evening sun.

"Well, what do we have here?" Zacharias could think of times when Draco Malfoy might come in handy, but most of them had to do with bludgers and timing, none of which were relevant whilst sitting beside a lake frustrated at the disappearance of one Harry Potter. "Is the wittle hufflypuffy cwying? Aww!" There was a pair of sniggers signaling the presence of Malfoy's goons, which only heightened Zacharias's sudden need to grasp his wand, which was now firmly enclosed in his fist. "Is it becawse wittle Hawwy Potty didn't show up for your _date_?"

"Fuck off, Malfoy," Zacharias spat, turning to face the prat with all the anger he could muster.

"Woohoo! Big words from little men; might I have misjudged you?"

"You have no right to judge me at all, you slimy little git."

"And you, _mudblood_, have no right even _speaking_ in my presence. As you must be aware, my master is doing quite well of late, and it won't be long before all of your kind are _dead_."

"Last I heard Voldemort wasn't doing that hot, Malfoy." Harry's voice never sounded so good, and yet so horribly wrong at the same time.

"You'd do better to stop speaking his name, Potter. You might find that one of these days you and your little friends won't be able to run and hide fast enough."

"I don't know about you, Malfoy, but I've never hidden from Voldemort. What'd be the point? I do remember a certain little ponce running away screaming for all his little stick-legs were worth at just the sight of him, however."

"You forget who you're talking to, Potty. You may have gotten the better of me in times passed, but I've been studying. You'd do better not to try and fight me now."

"Go on," Harry said with a smirk. "Give it your best shot. I've gone up against Voldemort and survived; you honestly think I'm scared of you?"

"You'll get yours, Potty. You'll see! We got your stupid Godfa—"

Before the words had even fully formed, Harry had cast the impediment jinx and Malfoy was clutching his throat in frustration. Crabbe and Goyle were both looking perplexed; not having their master's word to control them seemed to leave them without an idea. Malfoy gestured frantically at  
Zacharias, but Harry was faster than their minds could ever be and had them both sporting a nice set of warts all over their bodies before they could even blink. For good measure, Malfoy suddenly found himself wearing purple polka-dots, which Harry thought clashed with his freshly coifed mane quite well.

When the three idiots had dispersed, Harry stood for a few moments regarding Zacharias cautiously. When he moved, it was slowly and nervously, but he stopped next to the boy who had returned to gazing out at the lake. Even though the squid had again submerged, it seemed the ripples were a lot more interesting than Harry.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. After a few minutes without response, he continued. "I got in trouble with Snape and had detention." He put his hand on Zacharias's shoulder, trying to goad him into turning, but all that garnered was a shrug to rid his hand. "Zacharias, please."

"Why are you doing this?"

Harry stared in wonder, uncertain what the teenager meant. "Trying to explain? I just thought…"

"No, _this_; all this shite about wanting to date me: last year you're tolerating me and suddenly this year you like me?" He continued to watch the ripples, avoiding Harry's gaze at all costs.

"I thought I'd—"

"No, you hadn't."

"Right, well, you see, the summer." Harry coughed, shuffled his feet a bit and turned bright red, but all Zacharias knew was that he'd coughed. "Look, this … liking boys thing, it's new to me. I sort of started thinking about what boys at school I might fancy, and well, Ron's out, 'cause you know, that whole Hermione thing. Neville's just… not my type. Colin; everyone knows how he feels, but honestly he's … too … _Colin_." He smiled for a moment, hoping the mood had lightened, but his companion continued to ignore him. "Look, you're… the only one who didn't take me at face value. You _challenged_ me. You wanted to know that I was real, without listening to the others. It meant something. You were… Well, you didn't let my celebrity mean more than it should."

"'Celebrity.' Bit ahead of yourself, aren't you?"

Harry laughed. "Have you seen the Daily Prophet?"

"I try to avoid it, actually," Zacharias said flatly.

"Oh." Harry stood silent for a few minutes, watching the lake as well and hoping it would tell him what to say next.

"If you want to, you know, meet up or something again, maybe we could."

"What's wrong with right now?"

"Nothing."

"I'm sorry I made you cry," Harry added, apparently under the impression this would make things better.

"Fuck off!" He said it with earnest, but he wasn't getting up to leave. "I wasn't crying over _you_."

The silence spread for a while, both of them just watching the lake and feeling the chill of the night creeping up their skin. Harry was in his school robes, which offered a bit more protection, but Zacharias was still wearing only the silk shirt and the too-small-on-purpose trousers, so when he shivered it was no surprise.

"There's this spell," Harry offered. "It's a warming flame. Hermione used it a few times, but I, well I never remember them."

"I know it," Zacharias said, pulling out his wand and muttering the spell. A blue flame emerged from his wand and floated between them, casting a pale glow over them and a warmth that immediately curbed the cold.

"Thanks for that." Zacharias nodded, but continued to face the lake. "Look, could we walk or something?" Without word, the blond stood, his knees both cracking with the strain and pointed his wand at the flame so it would follow. Harry had to run to catch up as the teen seemed less worried about Harry following than getting to the nowhere they had agreed upon.

After ten minutes of silent walking, which had taken them a fair deal around the lake towards where the first task had been held, Harry reached over and took Zacharias's hand. It was nervous, tentative and apparently so drastic that Harry's hand was covered in sweat, but it was sweet and Zacharias melted just a little. He didn't pull away, anyway.

"So you live in…"

"Surrey."

"Really? Me as well. I'm in Little Whinging."

"Walton on Thames."

"Oh, right." Harry couldn't think of a word to say, but felt he had to plow on. "Er, I live with my Aunt and Uncle."

"Parents. Both muggles. Look, if you want a bio, I can have one written up for you."

Harry stopped a moment, but continued again when Zacharias's hand tugged on his rather than lose the contact. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"I like to read and do Arithmancy. I spend a lot of time studying maths and playing on my computer when I get the chance."

"Do you listen to music?"

"Sometimes I listen to Mozart or Beethoven, and even, if I'm in the mood, some modern stuff on the radio."

"Oh, er, movies?"

"This is ridiculous!" Zacharias threw Harry's hand at him and stomped off. "I am not a bloody eleven year old girl!" Harry was right behind him, but he didn't slow his pace.

"Look! How'm I supposed to get to know you at all if you won't even have a conversation with me?"

He stopped and turned, his face red with anger. "I don't think _that_ was a conversation! You were bloody interrogating me!"

"I was trying to find out _who you are! _If you could stop being so bloody obnoxious for just a bloody second, you might find out that I want to bloody know you and make it a conversation!" Harry was also angry, but somehow this didn't register with Zacharias. This felt more normal, more real to him than holding hands and talking about likes and dislikes.

"I don't want to have a _bloody_ conversation with you, Potter. You're just stuck on yourself. You only want to know me because I don't think you're perfect like everyone else. The moment you turn me around, you'll tire of me. I'm not out for a quick shag with the famous Harry bloody Potter!"

"You think all I want is a quick shag?"

"Yeah."

"Show's how much you know."

"I know a lot more than you ever will."

"Fine."

Zacharias turned and left without even a glance back. At first it felt like Potter was following, but by the time he reached the castle it was obvious he was gone. Okay, well good. Right? Good.


	5. Unexpected Liaisons

**Chapter Five**

_Unexpected Liaisons_

_**Author's Note:** I'm sorry it's been so long, but I have had some real life issues getting in the way of my creativity, though a good drabble challenge helped me get passed that. This note is mainly to those of you reading from , which it seems are quite a good number. I've noticed that my hits are quite good, really, but I'm still only getting a few reviews. Lately that's been an issue for me, so I'm considering dropping this and all of my stories from as there's not really a point to keeping them there if no one is enjoying them. I may just use my livejournal and that is all. If you want to keep reading them here, please review. If I get a lot of reviews (good or bad, just a review), then I'll keep posting here as well. Hope you enjoy the story!_

"I'm an idiot," Zacharias said to Hannah later that evening, his head of blond hair curling again as the straightening charm wore off.

"Yes, you are," she assured him, rubbing his back gently from neck to base.

"Thanks for that," he replied sarcastically into his hands.

"Well, honesty's the best policy," she recited, picking up her wand and ending the charm on his hair fully so that it bounced back into the soft curls that he normally wore. "I don't suppose we really need that anymore."

"What? Honesty?"

"No, your hair to be straight."

"Nothing about him is straight," Susan said, coming in and sitting on the opposite side of the bed. "Completely bent, that one." Zacharias sniffled slightly, then looked up at her with red eyes. "Oh honey, I was only teasing." Her face fell and she leaned forward to gather him up in her arms.

"Why can't I just let him in?"

"Because you're a great, huge prat," Ernie answered, he and Justin standing in the door and looking a bit put out. Susan gave each of them a look and they immediately moved over to join the others on the bed, all of them moving close around Smith and smothering him in Hufflepuff love. "You just need to stop worrying that we're all going to turn on you, Smith. We've been here for five years, even with all your antics."

"I'm not going anywhere," Justin said, a smile playing at his lips. "Not even if you declare your love for me and stop pretending it's Potter you want."

"Oh right!" Zacharias sat up and hit him on the shoulder, laughing and sniffing, his smile genuine and happy. He gave a conspiratorial look to Hannah before he leaned back into Susan's embrace, allowing her to wrap her arms around him and breathe gently in his ear. "I don't think it was meant to be."

"Oh honestly, Zachy! If you'd just get over yourself and let him have a chance, you'd see what would happen."

"I've an idea," Hannah announced excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly and giving everyone intense looks. "Why don't we have another party?"

"That'll never work," Susan countered, looking thoughtful. Hannah's face dropped into a pout and she looked over at Ernie hopefully. He shook his head, along with Justin and finally Zacharias and she just looked depressed as Susan continued. "I think you two need to be alone, but maybe we should monitor you. Give you guidance."

"Yeah! Like in Shakespeare! We could—"

"Who?" Ernie asked, a confused expression on his face.

"—Tell you what to say, just like—"

"Was he a wizard? Will he be on the exam? Oh hell, I knew I should be studying!" Ernie made to get up and Susan smacked his shoulder, yanking him back down.

"He's a muggle playwright, you git. And that's complete bollocks, Justin. It'd never work." She looked thoughtful again, but then her face fell. "No, it wouldn't work."

"Oh I'll just have to pull myself together and get to it," Zacharias finally said. "It's not like he's not proven he's interested, it's me that's the problem." Justin and Ernie nodded and made agreeing noises whilst Hannah and Susan both just stayed silent. Zacharias looked around at all of them and smirked. "You lot are so bloody helpful at making a bloke feel good."

"I can make you feel right perfect," Susan said mock-threatening, putting her hand on her wand for emphasis. "Just fudge it up with Potter again and we'll see what I come up with."

---

"Could I have a moment, Potter?"

The Great Hall was filled to the brim as dinner had only just started. Ron and Hermione, as well as a few others who had joined in the D.A. that Zacharias only remembered didn't exactly like him much all looked up at him with wonderment, shock that he'd actually addressed Harry emanating like heat from an oven.

"What for, Smith?" Weasley asked angrily, making to stand and his hands curling into fists. "Harry doesn't want to talk with you."

"Harry please," Zacharias said softly, leaning in toward Harry. "I'm sorry, but, I—"

"It's alright, Ron," Harry said, standing up and giving his mates a quick smile before he turned and headed out of the hall. They began whispering as Zacharias ran after him, trying not to look ridiculous in the process. All eyes were on them, of course; Harry Potter was on the move. "What do you want," he asked darkly when they were alone in the entrance hall.

"I just wanted to say that I'm a prat, and that I'm sorry for being so ludicrous the other day." He couldn't bring himself to look up at Harry, and when he continued he found that his tongue seemed to be in a rush and the words were tumbling out of his mouth a little too quickly. "I just really like you and I don't know why but I can't seem to get over myself and realize that you like me too, and it's just really hard as I've never had anyone I've fancied actually fancy me back, and you're also, you know, Harry Potter, and you're sort of the saviour of the wizarding world, and really famous to boot, and it's just—"

"Smith?"

"—Not on that I'm making such an arse of myself, which I rarely do honestly, okay maybe a little, or a lot, but I'm not usually willing to admit it and you just really get under my—"

"Smith?"

"—Skin, and somehow I thought this would be easier, though I don't know why as I'd probably hate you if you just sort of fell into my arms and tried to snog, which is sort of what you did and sort of why I didn't trust you and—"

"Don't you want to breathe?"

"—I just think that Susan's right, and maybe we weren't meant—"

"Because you'll pass out if you don't, I should think."

"—To be together, but I'd really like to—"

This time Harry didn't say anything, he just started kissing Zacharias, which was both really good and really bad, because suddenly the image of an American movie he'd once seen played across his vision and he felt himself getting upset again, ready to push the boy away and run off to the common room to pout again. This time, though, Harry grabbed him harder and snogged him deeper and Zacharias sort of lost track of his anger as he sort of forgot that he was supposed to be. He sort of forgot a lot of things, actually, including the fact that they were doing this right in the middle of the entrance hall with the whole school on the other side of the doors, all eating and not ready to see Harry Potter kissing a bloke.

This wouldn't have mattered if it weren't for the fact that Draco Malfoy always seemed to want to know just what it was Potter was doing, at all times, and that the icy-blond git was now actually looking at the two of them with an expression so full of smug happiness that Zacharias yanked himself back to reality and left Harry looking dejected. When the Hufflepuff didn't leave though, Harry followed his horrified gaze and saw that now Malfoy was surrounded by half of the Slytherin sixth form and all of them were sniggering.

"Well, well, well," Malfoy said, his sneer fully at play. "Harry Potter's a pouf. Harry Poufter," he said mockingly. "How divine. Rita Skeeter's going to have a ball with this."

Hermione and Ron shoved through the crowd along with Susan and Ernie, both pairs looking really worried. The Gryffindors ran over to Harry and whispered to him whilst the Hufflepuffs came to Zacharias, also whispering.

"What happened?"

"We kissed," Zacharias said numbly. "They saw," he added, nodding at the Slytherins.

"Fuck," Ernie concluded.

---

"FUCK!"

"Smith, calm down," Justin said nervously, trying to stop the blond from pacing. His attempts only got him a glare and a point of an eleven-inch cedar wand. "Well, really," he said, sitting down next to Susan and looking at her worriedly.

"Calm down, you say," he started. "Really. It's bad enough everyone knows I'm a bender, but now they know Harry is as well. And _I'm_ the one they'll blame!"

"Blame? It's not like you pulled out a bloody great 'gay changer' machine and turned him, is it?"

"Oh really, Hannah! They revere him! He's their fucking _saviour_!" His face was contorted in both dismay and horror and it looked really scary. Hannah teared up a little, but Zacharias went on regardless. "I'm done for. I'll have to go back to home and be a muggle. They'll have my wand. And my life if I'm not careful," he rambled, looking practically insane.

"Oh calm down," Susan said stoically. "They'll not have your wand."

"They'll say I cursed him, or used a love spell. I'll be in Azkaban!"

"It's not as bad without the dementors," Ernie said helpfully, garnering a reproachful look from everyone but Zacharias who was too busy imagining the rest of his life spent in prison.

"You'll not go to prison," Susan said, grabbing the blond by the shoulders and making him to look her in the eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong," she said forcefully. "It's going to be _fine_."

As if on cue, one of the third-year boys whose name he could never remember rapped on the open door and looked in nervously. "Erm," he said with a squeaky voice. "Harry Potter's here to see Smith."

"Send him up," Susan said, moving away and motioning everyone to get out of the room. They all did so without hesitation and were gone just before Harry's figure graced the door frame.

"Hullo," he greeted softly. "Alright?"

"Not really," Zacharias said, still pacing. "Bit off at the moment. You?"

"I'm fine, obviously. Not a big deal, really."

"Not a big deal? Right, not a big deal," he answered hysterically. "They'll not be lynching you, of course. It's all _my_ doing."

"They're not going to lynch anyone, Smith." Zacharias looked up just before he ran into Harry, knocking them both to the floor before he could stop. "Though you might accidentally knock us both unconscious and give everyone the wrong idea."

"I think they've already gotten the wrong idea," he said nervously, trying to extract himself from the tangle of limbs. Harry wasn't exactly helping. "Would you—Get off, Potter!" But Harry didn't, and instead of even trying to get up, he seemed to be holding Zacharias down. "You're not—helping!"

"I don't want to help," he said mischievously. "I like this." And he was going to put up a fight, maybe bite him or something, but somehow Potter was able to align their mouths and have another go at a snog. Like before, suddenly everything around them sort of faded out of his sphere of concern, lost to the part of him that actually cared. The bulk of him, including parts of him that might have caused his other self to be really annoyed, was centered on the fact that Harry was kissing him. Harry was fucking kissing him, and using his tongue and it was nice. Neither of them knew how to do it properly, but it felt so nice even though it was wet, and a bit slimy and they gnashed teeth now and again, which felt really awkward—but they were kissing.

"I'm supposed to be afraid for my life," Zacharias said when they finally stopped, staring into each other's eyes. _Such a nice shade of green_, he thought.

"Why be scared? I'll protect you. I am a Gryffindor, aren't I?"

"And Harry Potter, at that."

"Yeah, and Harry Potter." And they kissed again, forgetting that everyone in Hufflepuff was probably listening in on the other side of the – very fortunately closed – door.

---

"It's not all bad," Hermione said happily. "At least I know how to make Skeeter keep her horrible little mouth shut."

"Yes, but that won't stop Malfoy from leaking it to the _Prophet_ soon enough," Ron noted, tearing at the feather in his quill and causing his girlfriend to wince at each rip.

"Well, we could always just hex Malfoy into a puddle of slime like we did at the end of last year," Susan said, a nasty smile playing on her expression. "I'm _very_ good with hexes."

"I've heard," Ron said, gulping.

"Malfoy's not the only problem," Dean added, his hand entwined with Ginny's on the table, she nodding her agreement as he spoke. "Now all of the people who were at your little get-together last month are on about what they saw. They're saying that these two were going at it on the dance floor."

"And Mandy Brocklehurst is claiming that Harry's told her he couldn't date her because he was in love with him," Ginny continued.

"I never said any such thing! I don't even speak to Mandy Brocklehurst!" Harry slammed his hand on the table and everyone in the library looked over at them, their eyes broadening as they saw Harry and Zacharias were seated together. "I'll not live like this," he continued. "I say we just admit it. Why not? It's out. I don't care what the fuck they all think," he decided, motioning to everyone watching.

"This isn't like the Chamber, Harry," Hermione said. "They're worse than muggles about it."

"I'm famous, yeah? Doesn't that count for something?"

They all looked skeptical, not that he was famous, but that he could change hundreds of years worth of bigotry with one relationship.

"I don't care. As long as you're with me, I'm standing up for it. I won't hide behind lies like I'm ashamed."

"You sound like a married coupe already," Seamus said nervously, apparently somewhat uncomfortable with the situation. "You've only just met, Harry. Don't you think it's a bit odd?"

"Maybe so, but, I like him loads and it's not really him that's the point, is it?" He grabbed Zacharias's hand and smiled. "Sorry, but, I mean, you know what I mean right?" The blond nodded, still keeping quiet and slightly upset at showing such an open means of affection whilst everyone around them was still watching. Sniggers and whispers were coming from all around by this point, and he was sweating with nerves.

"You've already got so much to worry about," Hermione said, still sounding a little dubious of the whole thing. "What with V-Voldemort, and ... Ron, do stop. Just, I don't know if you can—"

"I'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine," he said, squeezing Zacharias's hand.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Malfoy's voice was unexpected, but not surprising. He always seemed to turn up when Harry was around. "Look at the little shirt-lifters holding hands. Isn't that sweet, Goyle? Don't you just want to hold hands now?" The large git nodded and smiled threateningly, taking Crabbe's hand and swinging them mockingly. "See! Slytherins can be sweet as well. We do so love this new side of you, Potter. It's so... _Dandy_, isn't it?"

Ron stood up and had his wand out before Hermione could say anything, but what really surprised everyone was that Susan was also on her feet and pointing, and both of them shot off curses before anyone could stop them. Malfoy and Goyle were now both writhing in pain on the floor whilst Crabbe just looked confused, looking back and forth between them unsure which one to help first. Madame Pince was storming their way and suddenly everything was chaos.

"That went well," Ron shouted as he and the group were rushing out of the entrance and heading for their respective common rooms. Ron gave Susan a bit of a smile before catching up Hermione, secretly thrilled to have someone on his side for a change.


End file.
